


'Cause After All We're Actors On A Stage

by everlastinglourry



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Awkward Flirting, Betrayal, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Hurt!Liam, Lies, Louis and Harry are getting married, M/M, Step-Brothers, kind-of-wedding!au, liam is sad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-20
Updated: 2015-05-25
Packaged: 2018-02-09 17:18:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1991247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/everlastinglourry/pseuds/everlastinglourry
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis was a lot of Liam's firsts, until he just gets up and leaves. The next time Liam hears from him, he gets an invitation for Louis' wedding. His wedding with Liam's step-brother. But, thank whoever is up there, for Zayn, the attractive guy who has apperently set his mind on making Liam's time there as good as possible. And even better.</p><p>Or,</p><p>Liam gets hurt a lot, then finally gets better, only to discover that everybody has their secrets.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Introduction

**Author's Note:**

> I could write so much about this but I think it's best if I just leave it
> 
> Title is taken from All Time Low's song 'Actors'

Liam was a little kid when he first saw Louis. He was sitting on the swings and his little legs were swinging back and forth, his knuckles were white from all the force he put into holding onto the swings, afraid to fall down. Liam was on the playground and the only kid that was alone. He and his father just moved to Holmes Chapel after his mother died of cancer. 

Liam was little and afraid to not make any friends, it has always been hard for him to befriend other kids, since he spent most of his time in the hospital visiting his mother. He's never been to kindergarten back home and didn't know what to expect. He also noticed the toys the other kids were playing with, which looked new and like they were rather expensive. All of his toys were old, bought second hand. His father had once explained that a lot of the money he got from working was given away to make his mother happier and stay longer. Liam didn't understand it; why would they need money to make his mother stay? She had said herself that she would be there for a long time. She had promised to buy a lot of new clothes and toys ans sweets as soon as she got back home from the hospital. 

But now he kind of understood. She didn't stay. But he also didn't want the new things.

He put his feet on the ground and stopped the swing, walking on wobbling knees over to his father. "Dad, I want to go home."

"Liam," his father sighed. "Why don't you go over to the sandbox and play with those boys?" He gave his little son a tight smile. Liam looked so much like his mother. "I'll be right here, and if you really want to go, we'll head back home."

Liam wasn't sure but nodded anyways. He made his way over to the sandbox and stood uncertainly beside some kids around his age. His little fingers fiddled with the hem of his worn t-shirt. "C-can I play with you?"

A boy with brown eyes looked up at him and squinted his eyes at him. Judging him. "No. You look weird."

"And I don't like weird, so I don't like you," a girl with short blond hair added.

"We-well okay." He casted his eyes downwards and tried to hold his tears back. Suddenly there was a shadow over him and when Liam looked up, a boy with short brown hair and blue eyes stood infront of him. Liam was gaping at him. The boy smiled at him and then turned to the boy and the girl who were mean to Liam.

"Jonny, why don't you just keep quite. And Lucy nobody likes you." His tone was harsh and his eyes narrowed, until he turned back to look at Liam. "Jonny is just jealous because his ears are bigger than Dumbo's and yours aren't." Liam giggled at that. "I'm Louis Tomlinson and I'm 6 years old," Louis said, his chest pushed out and his voice loud, clearly trying to impress Liam.

"I'm Liam. I'm 4."

"Well Liam, do you want to swing a bit with me? I saw how high you got earlier."

And ever since then, they were friends.

_Louis was the first person to defend Liam._

_Louis was the first person to be Liam's (best) friend._

~*~

The first thing Liam heard when he woke up was rain hitting his window. The seconds thing was someone crying.

Liam rubbed his eyes and yawned before getting up and walking to his open door. The light in the hallway was off but he saw light coming from the room down the hall, his father's room. He walked on his tiptoes closer to the door and pressed his ear against it. 

It was his father crying, without a doubt, but now he could also hear him talking quietly. "I-I don't know what to do without you-ou." There was a loud sob. "It's b-been three mo-months b-b-but it still hurts."

Liam knew who his father was talking to; his mother. That was weird, Liam thought she wouldn't be with them anymore. She has never been to this house before. He couldn't contain his excitement. His mummy came back! He knew she wouldn't just leave him, she promised. His hand searched the door handle and when he finally found it, he opened the door. But he didn't see his mum. It was his father, kneeling in front of the bed, he was holding something in hands. 

"I just--  _we_ miss you. Li i-is so stro-ong but I know, I-- I just  _know_  how sad he is. We're b-both s-so so sad."

The door creaked a bit and Liam's father turned around. His eyes widened and he wiped at them with his hands. "Li, how long have you been there?"

Liam's eyes wandered around the room. "Dad? Where's mum?" Goeff clapped a hand over his mouth. "I heard you talking to her."

"Li, I--" His father stopped and took a deep breath and widened his arms. "Come here." Liam ran towards him and fell into his arms, all while tears welled up in his eyes. She still didn't come back. "Your mum isn't here. And-- and she won't be here anymore, okay? She's always thinking about you and you're always in her heart, just like she'll always be in yours, but you won't see her anymore, alright?" Liam nodded into his father's neck. "She's always watching over us and she'll always be with us, but we can't see her. She's up there now, always making sure you're okay."

"Dad?"

"Yeah, Li?"

"Did her hair grow again? The way she wanted?" 

When his father answered after a while, his voice was choked and barely above a whisper. "Yes, Li, it did."

There were still tears coming out of his eyes when Liam pulled his face away from his father's neck, but there was also a smile on his face. "Can I sleep in here tonight, dad?"

"Of course," his father said and stood up with Liam still in his arms. They got into bed and Goeff pulled the duvet over bot himself and his son. "Good night, Li."

~*~

Liam's first day at school was, to put it nicely, not good. The kindergarden he used to be at wasn't his favourite place to begin with, he liked playing with Louis after they both got home much more, but school was a whole new thing. Most of the kids in his class came from other kindergardens and already knew each other but not Liam. And they had heard about Liam living without a mother from their parents and thought it was weird. 

Nobody pushed him or boxed him or made fun of him, but nobody wanted to sit next to him either. 

Liam sat at his table and sighed, waiting for the signal for the break. Louis had told him to meet him at the monkey bars the day before.

~*~

It was a sunny Friday evening in Holmes Chapel, it was the beginning of summer and it seemed to be a warm one, too. The birds were chirping and two kids were running down the streets as fast as their feet would take them, laughing and trying to get air into their lungs. They stopped in front of two familiar houses, bending over and catching their breaths. The older boy, Louis, looked over at the other, two years younger lad, Liam, smiling at him and patting his back. "You're almost faster than I am, Li." Liam's eyes were shining. "I'm not sure if I'm proud or angry."

Liam chuckled, punching Louis in the arm. "You're jealous." 

Louis gasped and turned to face Liam fully, tickling him and making him wiggle around, screaming for Louis to stop. They've always been best friends, knew each other since Liam was 4 years and Louis 6 years old, and Louis could make Liam squirm without even looking at him, knowing how to move his fingers in the best way to make Liam laugh uncontrolled. Even now, 8 years later, Louis knew all of Liam's weaknesses. 

"L--Louis, stop it-- stop it!" Liam exclaimed, trying to get away from the blue eyed boy. "Lou!" Louis stopped after a few more moments, patting Liam's head a bit, messing up the brown curls on top of it. "Louis!" He whined, carting his fingers through his hair. "You know I have to look good later."

"You're always good looking, Li." Louis smiled at him, making Liam's stomach flip. "You should go now, your dad's watching us." Liam turned around and looked at his house. His father was standing in their kitchen, waving at them. Liam let out a sigh. "Hey, it'll be alright."

Liam gave gim a weak smile, "'m not sure about that." He hugged his older best friend tightly, slinging his arms around the other's neck. "I'll call you later." Louis let go of Liam's waist and looked into the other's eyes. 

"Good luck."

Liam nodded and turned around again, walking to his front door. Before he disappeared, he looked back at Louis who gave him a reassuring smile and a little wave, blowing him a kiss. Liam closed the door and almost got a heart attack. His father was standing in front of him and gave him a knowing smile. "Had fun with Louis?"

The 12-year old turned red, stuttering a bit. "Y--yes, why di-- why do you ask?"

His father laughed and patted his shoulder (because apperently people just liked to pat him). "Just change your shirt, you smell and Anne and Harry will be here soon." Liam huffed out a breath but stormed up the stairs anyways. 

The boy looked through his wardrobe, searching for a clean and nice shirt. Liam's feelings and thoughts were all over the place. Maybe he was angry, because how could his father just out of nowhere announce he was seeing a woman who would visit them the next day; he was sad, because he still missed his mother, even though he almost didn't remember her; and he was even a bit scared, because what if his dad's new girlfriend didn't like him? He definitely wanted to impress, at least to make his father happy. He knew it would be selfish to tell his father to stop seeing another woman, to stop living his life although it was his first relationship after 9 years. And he didn't want to ruin his father's chances with someone he cared about. 

Happily, he found a decent shirt and stripped out of his old one, sweat blotched under his arms and at his back, pulling the new one over his head, using a bit deodorant. The doorbell rang and Liam hurried down the stairs, flying around the corner and falling down, landing straight on his face. He groaned and got up, looking at his father who had a smile on his face, a middle-aged woman who looked shocked and alarmed and a boy his age who was snickering behind his hand. Liam grinned pushing himself up onto his feet. Even when he got faster than Louis, he was still clumsy. 

"Oh dear, are you alright?," the woman asked and Liam put his hands in the air to show everything was alright when she wanted to help him stand. 

Liam's dad laughed and motioned for Liam to extend his hand. "I'm Liam and fine, definitely." He shook the woman's hand, who introduced herself as Anne, and then turned to the boy, nodding his head. It's not like he would shake hands with someone his age. 

"Harry, introduce yourself!," his father's new girlfriend -- Anne -- Liam reminded himself, hissed at him. 

"You just did that for me." The boy shrugged and tugged his hands into the pockets of his trousers. 

Anne wanted to argue, but Liam's father decided it was time to eat. They all walked into the dining room and sat down around the round table. It was filled with food and they had almost no space to put their plates down. 

"I hope the food's good enough." The tone in the voice of Liam's father made it clear how much he wanted to impress their guests. Liam filled his plate with mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing his fork right in it and eating half of his plate with 3 takes. He was a growing boy. After minutes of small talk between the two adults, Liam's ears perked up at his father's words. "Anne, I think we should be honest with the kids." The two boys looked up at that, their faces showing confusion. 

Anne put her silverware down and looked at Liam and then at Harry. "Goeff and I lied, we've been seeing each other for almost a year now."

"What?" His father didn't tell him anything for a  _whole_   _year_?

"Liam, don't interrupt her."

"And we think we're at a point of our relationship where it's save to say we're very happy with each other and this could last," she took a deep breath and smiled at Goeff. "That's why we're here today, because it would be awkward for the both of you to just suddenly live in the same house without knowi--"

"Wait,  _what_?" Liam interrupted, his fork still halfway to his mouth. "What do you mean by  _l_ _iving in the same house_?" He looked at his dad. "Dad, what does this mean?"

His dad grabbed his hand and interwined their fingers, stroking it with his thumb. "Li, Anne and Harry are going to move in next week."

"But--  _why_?" Liam stood up and looked at all of them before shaking his head and walking out of the door. He heard his father saying something about '  _giving him space_ ' and '  _letting him come to terms with it_ '. There was only one place Liam could go to now, and that's why he put on his shoes and walked the few houses to the person who understood him the best. 

Tears had already welled up in his eyes and he was gratefull when it was Louis who opened to door. 

"Hey Li," Louis said. "Wait, what's wrong?" A few tears rolled down Liam's cheeks. "Aw, come in." 

They both went up the stairs to Louis' room and Liam laid down on his friends bed. He felt sad, really sad. Sadder than he had felt for a long time now. His father had kept a secret from him, okay, that's-- alright. Everybody has secrets. Totally normal. His father hadn't told him about it for a whole year, not so okay. 

And Liam felt betrayed. This secret also effected him, not only his father. It would also be a huge, two-heads big part of  _his_  life. His father was selfish for not saying anything, especially for such a long period of time. 

And most importantly, how could his father just do that? The last person who had lived with them was Liam's mother, 8 years ago. And now he could just let someone else live with them, all of a sudden? Without some kind of... qualifying period? Do those exist in situations like this? Liam didn't know, he was 12 and had zero experience in  _anything_  that involved love.

The bed dipped next to him and when Liam turned his head, he was staring into Louis' blue eyes.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" Liam shook his head and bit his lip. He felt so stupid and ashamed to let Louis see him cry. "Hey, it's alright, you can let it out." And with that, Liam curled up next to Louis, letting his tears fall freely now, his head resting on the other's chest. 

_Louis was the first person to let Liam cry on his shoulder._

~*~

It's been 5 years since Liam got a new mother and a brother. Even though he didn't like the idea at first, it turned out to be alright. He got along with Harry and they spent much time together and with their mutual friends. Anne would never be his  _mother_ , but he could live with her and she was more like an aunt to him. A aunt who had sex with his father. Okay, he still didn't see her as a family member, mostly because that would make everything awkward and a bit disgusting, but he accepted her and she was a part of his life by now. 

He was lucky his step-brother was Harry and not someone else. They liked each other and Harry even had the same friends as him. Liam met his other best friend, who was never as close to him as Louis but still, Niall, through Harry. Of course they had arguments, but they cared about the other and were protective even. They could talk about anything and had a lot to tell each other. They had the same hobbies, liked the same music (sometimes) and, most importantly for boys their age, even talked about boys after they both came out.

Liam had known he was gay since forever. Even when he was still a kid, maybe 5 or 6 years old, the thought of holding the hand of a boy in school made him giggle and blush a bit. He always thought how nice boys in school looked, but never spared any girl a second glance. When he was twelve or thirteen, he had gotten a real boner for the first time in his life. He had been lying in his bed and started remembering the conversation he had overheard at the bus stop earlier that day. Two young men had been talking about kissing a woman and how disgusting lipstick was. Liam got curious after that, because never had he thought about kissing a  _girl_ , let alone a   _girl with lipstick_. Sometimes he had thought about kissing, when he had seen a kiss scene on the TV or a couple in public, but he had never actually   _pictured_  how it would go. So he made himself comfortable in his bed, closed his eyes and started thinking about lips on his own. It was obvious for him, from the beginning, that the lips had to be thin and without make-up. And when a picture started to form in front of his eyelids, it was no surprise to him to see a boy from school, who was a few years above him. At first he wanted to start imaginening Louis, but it made him feel uncomfortable so he took the pretty boy he barely knew. Liam was so lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice anything for a few minutes. But then his mind wandered to a certain area of the other boys body and Liam's opened wide while he gasped. 

His eyes scanned the room, making sure nobody came in while he was fantasising. Thankfully he was still alone. And then his eyes caught sight of something in his lap. 

He lifted the duvet up and felt how his penis got twitched.  _What_ was going on? That had never happened to him! Testing, he poked at his dick, which was bigger than usual, felt hard, was red and, apperently, also very sensitive. Slowly he let his fingers glide over his shaft, sometimes pressing a bit harder. His dick twitched even more! 

Not being used to the feeling and considering his age, it didn't take long before he experienced his first (dry) orgasm. 

Now, when Liam and Harry were 17, Harry was dating one of their friends and told Liam about what they did together, not in detail but still, while Liam always talked about how he felt for Louis who was still his best friend, and his crush on the older boy was growing since they were 12. Louis was 19 by now and still living a few houses away with his family, working at the book shop in town. Liam was a bit insecure. He had never had a boyfriend and only kissed one guy. Harry always told him it wasn't a bad thing, he was happy he had waited and that David was his first boyfriend and they've been dating for only a month or two. 

But Liam was sick of all of this. He wanted Louis. 

One evening, Louis and Liam were sitting on Louis' bed and watching Spiderman. Tobey Maguire was just about to try and save the whole train from falling down, when Liam bumped his shoulder into Louis'. The blue eyed boy turned to look at him, and Liam took the opportunity. He grabbed the back of Louis neck and crashed their lips together, moving them shyly at first, until he felt Louis' tongue on his bottom lip asking for entrance. It turned heated soon and Liam lost his virginity to the sound of Spiderman and Doc Ock fighting. (It was perfect for him.)

_Louis was the first person to make love to Liam._

~*~

Christmas that years was by far Liam's favourite. It was the last before he would be moving away and even though he knew he would miss his dad and Harry and Louis and all his other friends and even Anne, he was excited to start university. 

For the 25th Liam's dad had prepared a meal for all of them and they were all sitting together after exchanging gifts. Louis had gotten Liam a book, a CD and his sweater Liam always loved to wear. Liam had bought Louis the shoes he wanted and concert tickets for them both. 

Liam was so happy to have Louis there with them, his family, as his boyfriend. At first, after they had slept together, Liam thought maybe Louis wasn't even interested in him. Maybe it had only been a one time thing? Maybe he didn't know how to say 'no' to his best friend? 

But it hadn't been that way. It turned out be great. Louis was the perfect boyfriend. They went on dates regulary, almost never fought, always laughed and talked and had a great time together. And the sex. Liam didn't know how he had survived for such a long time without it.

Liam was so content with everything, he didn't even notice the way Louis send a wink behind his back to a grinning Harry.

~*~

Liam and Louis had been great. They were happy and loved each other. It wasn't a surprise to anyone when they announced their engagement and sent out invitations for their wedding. They were young and Liam thought they would spent the rest of their lives together, especially since their love also survived the four years they spent apart because of University. Louis called him every day and Liam sent him texts as often as possible. Liam missed his boyfriend and Niall, who was his roommate the whole time, was there for him. Louis, who was still at home and working at the book store, spent much time with Harry who decided to work at the bakery just down the road. Of course Liam was jealous, but at least his lover and step-brother got along and it wasn't like he was the only one who was allowed to talk to Louis (even though he knew him way longer). 

Their love was strong and their wedding was going to be the event of the year, with their families and friends, a little ceremony and a intimate party afterwards, with lots of blue roses everywhere, a 5-storeyed cake with two bride groom-figures on top of it. The ceremony would be in the beautiful garden of a hotel, with a lake on one side and a white carpet Liam would be walking down towards Louis, who would be standing in a black tuxedo under a with white and blue flowers decorated gate. The guests had chairs on both sides of the carpet, white comfortable cushioned seats with a blue band tied around it, little bouquets of blue flowers sticking out at the back. Liam looked at the weather forecast and it was supposed to be a sunny spring day, just perfect like everything else.

How wrong he turned out to be. Three weeks before the wedding, Louis canceled everything. Liam got a phone call and their wedding planner was telling him what Louis had done, how he had called him and said to stop all preperations, because he wouldn't marry Liam. 

It felt like the world was crashing down right in front of Liam's eyes. He could do nothing to stop it. Everything shattered. His phone fell to the ground, out of his hand. He gasped for breath. His chest felt too tight. His skin started to itch. His vision became blurry. His legs were to weak and he fell, his knees buckling. 

He tried to undertand  _why_.   _Why_ Louis had left him.   _Why_  Louis had left him now.   _Why_  he wasn't good enough.   _Why_  Louis hadn't told him in person.   _Why, why, why_. Liam always thought they were good, perfect, that Louis loved him just as much as Liam loved Louis. But why would he do this to him, then? Liam thought he was a good boyfriend, a good betrothed. Of course they were still young, Liam was just 21 and Louis 23, but they were   _happy_. Or at least Liam thought so. 

What was he supposed to do now? Louis was his life. Always, since they were kids, he always had Louis. And now he was alone. Louis wouldn't marry him, Louis wouldn't come back to their shared flat, Louis didn't want him, Louis wasn't happy with him. Liam failed and lost the best thing of his life. He had done his best and it wasn't enough,  _he_  wasn't enough. All this time he had tried so hard. Tried so hard to make Louis happy, to give him everything he needed, to pleas him, to keep him and not find someone better. He had always wondered why someone like Louis, perfect, funny, witty, clever Louis, would be satisfied with someone like Liam. And now Louis had gone and found someone better, someone who was just as beautiful and funny and pretty and   _perfect_  as he was, not someone who was boring and at most average looking like Liam. Or maybe he didn't even find someone but realised how better he could do. 

And then Liam realised everything that Louis had bought, his vase and his pictures and his clothes and his toothbrush, wasn't in their flat anymore. Louis had picked it up before Liam got home from trying on his wedding suit. Louis didn't want to see him again, which he made clear. 

Liam spent the next few days doing nothing except for eating ice cream and crying and watching Spiderman, which always made him cry even more. He had called Louis, but the other man didn't pick up. 

Liam called in sick and didn't go to work. 

He blamed himself for everything, or why else would Louis be gone? Obviously it was his fault. He wasn't good enough and he couldn't please anyone. He was stuck in his love bubble so much that he apperently didn't notice how Louis clearly didn't love him. 

Four days into it and the doorbell rang. He whiped his nose with the back of his hand and his hopes got up.  _What if this was Louis? What if he came back and they would hug and kiss and make love and it was all just a big misunderstanding? Maybe Louis still loved him and only got cold feet right before the wedding._

He opened the door and his shoulders fell down. His heart was aching and the last shimmer of hope he had left was slowly curling up and going into a far corner of his empty heart.

"Li, what happened to you?" Niall was standing outside his door. "You didn't go to work and -- wait, are you crying?" 

Liam let out a loud sob and Niall warpped his arms around Liam's waist, holding him up and dragging him into the flat. He sat down with Liam still crying onto his shoulder, shaking with the sobs he let out. 

"Shhh, Li," Niall cooed, stroking the other man's back. "Calm down, I'll make you a cup of tea."

Twenty minutes later Liam had calmed down and was only sniffling while sipping on his tea. Niall was still rubbing circles on Liam's back. His voice was quite and soft when he decided to speak to Liam. "Li, do you want to tell me what made you break down like this?"

Liam sat the cup on the table with shaking hands and wiped at his eyes. "Lou-Louis l-l-left." It pained him to say Louis' name even after a week and the thought of Louis leaving made him almost throw up. 

"What do you mean?"

"Please don't make me say it again, Niall." The brown-eyed bow looked at his best friend with red eyes.

"But I don't understand you, where is Louis?" Liam winced at his ex-boyfriend's name. "When is he comming back? Li, what are you talking about?"

"I don't know, okay? I have no idea where he is and it's gonna stay that way, because he's never comming back! Never! He left me without so much as a word and now he's gone,  _forever_!" Liam was yelling by now, the anger from all of this overpowering his sadness for once. "He left with all his things and doesn't answer my calls, he's away and doesn't love me," he was whispering the last part. New tears were streaming down his cheeks and he was trying to wipe them away. Not only did he feel sad and angry (at himself) now, but also embarassed and unloved and   _alone_. His hands suddenly seemed very intersting and he was looking at them, playing with his fingers while talking slowly and in a whisper. "He canceled the wedding, our wedding planner told me last week. H-he was gone before I came home from trying on my suit. Even all his things weren't here anymore, it was like he never lived here."

"Oh Li." Niall looked at his friend with sympathetic eyes and hugged the older boy close to his body. "I - I actually don't know what to say, but I'm so sorry." 

Liam leaned a bit back and tried to give a little teary smile, "It's alright, everything's already said."

_Louis was the first person to break Liam's heart._

~*~

It's been two years since Liam's heart got broken by the only person he ever truely loved and he was moving on. Very slowly. And not really. Of course he knew Louis would never come back, knew it was over and that Louis probably had a new boyfriend, but he still missed the older boy. Their - his - flat still looked the same. He didn't buy new things to fill the gaps where Louis' things had been and the furniture was still the same as before. It hurt to be there, especially when Niall wasn't there to keep him company, and to just see the bump on the sofa where Louis used to always sit, to see Louis' favourite mug in the shelves and to sleep in the bed they used to make love in, but Liam couldn't bare to change something. It was very bittersweet. 

Liam started going to work again half a week after Niall visited him. Ever since then they got even closer and it felt good to have a best friend who actually liked him. They saw each other at work and afterwards went to get something to eat or to one of their flats and watched a movie or cooked, whatever they wanted to do, but they spent almost every day together. 

Niall was worried, though. He saw the sadness in Liam's eyes when the older man thought he wasn't paying attention. It was clear how much Liam was missing Louis and Niall tried to set him up on dates a few times, but Liam always just shook his head and his eyes got all wet. 

One day, before Liam was leaving for work, he looked into his letter box and fished his letters out, when an envelope fell into his hands. It was a light green and his name was written on it with a in a very nice writing. His eyes narrowed and he packed the envelope into his bag. With fast steps he walked to his car and drove to the company he worked for. 

Only a few minutes after he was in his little office, the door opened and Niall sticked his head inside. "Hey Liam, do you want to get some Chinese or pizza today?"

"Pizza," Liam answered and took a few sheets he worked on the night before out. He noticed the light-green paper again and took it out, looking at it with curious eyes. It looked like something you would use to announce something big, nice with it. 

"Hey mate, um," Niall said in a strange voice and cleared his throat. He came into the room. "What you got there? It looks like some advert. They probably want to sell you an iPad, let me just throw it away for you, real quick, yeah?" He made a move to get the paper from Liam but the brown eyed man turned away. 

"No, that's what they do on twitter nowadays." He took a scissor and opened it. 

When he was about the pull the paper out, Niall spoke up again. "I don't think you should look at it." 

Liam gave Niall a confused look. "Why?"

"Just -- don't do it, it's for your own good, believe me." 

Looking at it now, Liam regrets not listening to Niall. It could've saved him from a lot. 

"Wait, Nia-- please tell me something's wrong with my eyes." His voice was slowly rising. "Please tell me Harry isn't getting married to Louis, m-my boyf- ex-boyfriend. Niall, tell me THIS ISN'T ACTUALLY HAPPENING!" Liam's breath came out in short huffs and his sight became unfocused. 

Niall shrugged his shoulders and went over to hug Liam, but the other man slapped his hands away. "Li, don't freak ou--"

"Are you actually telling me to not freak out?" Liam was was full on yelling. "My step- _brother_  is marrying the man I fucking love, who, by the way, left me without even telling me   _why_ , in a month, and you're telling me to   _NOT FREAK OUT_? I can't believe you."

"I know how you must feel--"

"Oh no, you  _don't._ " Liam was up on his feet now, pacing in the room and rubbing his hands over his head. And, goddammit, why was it so hot all of a sudden? "I-- I just--" Liam stopped and closed his eyes, taking deep breaths and trying to concentrate on his breathing. After the first shock was over, he didn't feel all that angry anymore. He was rather sad. His heart hurt in a too familiar way and his eyes were burning. What did the world have against him? Was he such a bad person, to deserve all of this? Wasn't it enough what Louis had done to him two years ago?

Apperently the universe felt like Liam could live with another kick in the balls. 

The burning in his eyes only got worse and then the tears were falling freely. Liam was wiping at his eyes, but it didn't help. There were too many of them. 

"Oh Liam." Niall was next to him in a second, slinging an arm around his back and leading him over to the mini-sofa at the wall. They sat down and Niall let his hands comb through Liam's hair. "I didn't want you to find out about it."

"I would have, anyway." Liam let out a small sob. "Niall, he's marrying  _Harry_! I don't get it."

Niall leaned down and kissed the top of Liam's head. "I don't either Liam. And I'm sorry."

~*~

It's been three weeks since Liam found out about how, what and  _who_  his ex-fiancé was doing now. Niall had managed to calm him down, but they didn't talk about it yet. It wasn't a topic you talked about every day and Liam always changed the subject really quickly every time Niall tried mentioning it to him.

But even without talking about it, the date for the wedding came closer and closer without mercy. Niall was worried because he knew Liam's dad and his step-mother wanted him there. Of course Niall was invited, too, considering he knew Louis and Harry very well, and they had asked Niall to get Liam to come. 

"Liam, we need to talk." Liam became obviously tense and picked with his fork in his food. "I know you don't want to hear it, but Harry and Lou-"

"- don't say his name!"

"- but Louis and Harry," Niall continued as if nothing had happened, "are getting married in a week."

Liam looked down at his plate and his expression was sad. He alway thought  _he_  would be married to Louis by now. Harry was never supposed to get closer to Louis after Louis left him and Harry was never supposed to marry the love of his life. Without Liam they would've never met. It was like a gunshot to the heart. Liam was already miserable enough with just knowing Louis stood up without a word and went away, but now he had to watch him getting married to someone else, to someone he introduced him to, to his step-brother. "And now? What do you want me to do? Go there and act like I don't still love him and be happy?"

"Actually, yes, that's exactly what I want." 

"Well, I'm not going to do that." Liam crossed his arms over his chest, not hungry anymore. The thought alone of food made him want to puke his guts out. He actually felt the need to do that whenever he thought of Harry and Louis, especially of them together.

"Your dad asked me to talk to you about this, and I said I'd bring you along." Liam didn't look up but Niall continued anyway. At first he didn't want to bring Liam's dad into all of this, Liam missed him very much because they didn't see each other often, but that was the only way. "He misses you, you know, and he wanted the whole family to be there. And I'm totally sure Harry and Louis want you there, too."

Liam was quite for a while and when he spoke, his voice was quite and soft. "You talked to them, didn't you?"

The younger man took a deep breath. "I had to." Liam nodded and a single tear rolled onto his nose and dropped onto the table. "That doesn't mean I like... all of this. And I'll be there for you the whole week. You won't have to be alone with them one minute, okay? But please go with me." 

Liam closed his eyes and sniffled a bit. "Alright, I'll go."

 


	2. Day 1

The weather in London was good, the sun was shining, it wasn't raining, but it wasn't too hot either. The wedding was at a hotel, every guest had a room and the ceremony was going to be in the garden. Most of the hotel was rented for a whole week because the celebration was planned to last very long. It had hurt Liam to read that part quite much, because first of all he would be seeing the happily married couple for six whole days, but also because when they had planned their wedding it was going to last at least three or four days, which meant this was going to be more solemnly and big then theirs was supposed to be.

The first shock came when Niall and Liam got out of Niall's car and Liam took a look at the hotel. It looked nice and welcoming and comfortable and perfect for a wedding. It was exactly the way Liam liked it - and he knew why. It was another hotel from the line their wedding would've been at and looked very similar to what he had booked those two years ago.

So far everything resembled the wedding they wanted to have years ago; the time of year, the hotel line, the invitations, and even the weather was as good as it was supposed to be at theirs. The only difference were the colour shemes. 

"Come on Liam, let's check in." Niall was heaving their backs out of the back of his car. Liam went over and helped him. They both took their luggage and went into the hotel. Staff was hurrying all around in the lobby, there where even people with headsets who shouted at other's. Niall whistled impressed. "Not bad." Liam hummed grumpily and walked to the desk. He wanted to get to his room as soon as possible and just escape everything that had to do with the wedding until tomorrow. 

The older lady at the desk was smiling sweetly at him. "What can I do for you, sir?" She had a strong American accent and her tongue was moving more than it should inside her mouth, it made Liam cringe.

"We're here for the wedding," Liam said and pointed at himself and Niall, who was now standing beside him, already taking out his ID and showing it to her. "Reserved for Horan and Payne."

The woman typed something into the computer. "Ah, I see." She turned around and grabbed a key from the hook. "Here's your key," She handed it to Niall and ticked something off on a clipboard. "Mr. Tomlinson specifically told our staff to be ready whenever you need something. You can call roomservice every time of the day or night, but he let us check three times today to see if everything you might need anytime soon is there. The costs are on the grooms list, obviously."

"Thank you," Liam said and he and Niall went to the lift. Niall wanted to say something, but the hurt and kind of angry expression on Liam's face kept him quite. It was obvious how affected Liam was by all of this and Niall didn't blame him.

When they got into their room, Liam went into the bathroom qickly. He splashed some water onto his face and looked at himself in the mirror. It was obvious how he felt, his face showed all his sadness and discomfort. This was going to be the worst week of his life. 

Niall was laying on his side of the double-bed when Liam came out of the bathroom. "I can't believe Louis did this."

"What?" Niall was sitting up now. 

"You know, trying to be  _nice_  and getting the staff to fulfill all our dreams and needs." Liam huffed out a breath. "Left all of a sudden, didn't call for two years, and now that he's marrying my step-brother he tries to make me feel welcome or some shit. I don't need this." After he gave the room a once-over, he added, "If it were so important for us to feel good to him, then why do we have only one bed?"

Niall laughed at that. "Don't worry, I'll keep my hands to myself. But only when you call room service and ask if we missed lunch."

"I'll just go downstairs." He grabbed his mobile phone from where he had put it earlier on the table beside the door. "Gonna call dad and ask when he arrives, I need a bit air anyways." With that he made his way to the lobby again. Just before he reached the front doors, his name was called out. 

"Liam, wait!" As he turned around, his breath caught in his throat, his body stilled and his mind went blank. He wasn't able to form any words and even if he did, his tongue would probably not let one letter roll off it. Louis was waving and walking over to him, a huge smile on his face. "Liam, I'm glad you're here," he said as he reached the still frozen young man. 

"Uh, well, yeah." He mentally punched himself, because  _what_. 

Louis smile faltered a bit and he placed a warm hand on Liam's upper arm, sending tingles and a weird feeling down Liam's spine. "Hey, look, Li..." He scrached the back of his neck. "I'm really sorry for not calling you." Liam nodded a bit, looking away from Louis. He still looked the same way he did when Liam last saw him, when Liam thought they were going to get married in a short while. "I-- I don't know if you've been told, but everyone here will get you whatever you want." Liam nodded again and played a bit with his fingers. "And I'm sorry that you have to share the bed with Niall, but nobody told me until earlier, I thought Niall had his own room and you would have this one, but apperently there was a mistake in the planning. But I can still change i--"

"No," Liam interrupted Louis and held his hands up. "It-- it's alright, I guess, don't make a big deal out of it. We'll survive."

"It's just, I completely forgot to ask if you wanted to bring someone, I don't know, maybe a boyfriend--" well, it's not like you asked  _anything_  or even tried to contact me in the last two years, Liam thought bitterly. "-- or someone else, I'm sorry."

When Louis didn't continue, Liam finally looked up again and realised Louis waited for him to say something. "Oh, eh, no, I could've told dad or something." And then added fast, "I wouldn't have someone to bring anyway, I just got out of a relationship." Louis didn't say anything and Liam rambled on. "A very serious one. We were dating for quite some time, but decided it would be better to be friends." What was he even doing? That was just plain stupid. But it was like a part of his brain couldn't work and his brain to mouth-filter wasn't functioning. "We talked alot and are still in touch." At this something like regret and pity flickered through Louis' eyes. "You know I should-- I should probably go outside now, I wanted to call my dad to ask when he arrives."

"Alright, do that, uhm, I guess I'll see you tomorrow at the family dinner?" Louis let the sentence end as a question and it made Liam think. What did he mean by that? Did he possibly think Liam wouldn't show up? That Liam would just not go there? And what made him think that? Last time Liam checked Louis was the one who didn't show up to a wedding. 

"See you," Liam said before hurrying away into the warm air. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

Meeting Louis for the first time in two years was a shock, and seeing how much he didn't change was ten times worse. And it made everything so real, so final. Liam didn't like to admit it, but a small (okay, maybe big) part of him always thought they would get back together and maybe celebrate the wedding they had planned someday. But now he saw Louis in there and it hurt. Even if they wouldn't have ended up together, it was still painfull to see Louis taking this big step with someone else, but not with him back then. Which meant he wasn't just afraid back then, because why was he so calm about the whole wedding now? It would've been better to never see Louis again than to know he was willing to spend his forever with someone else. This was like a kick to the heart.

After he collected all the feelings and thoughts in his mind, he dialed his father's number. "Hey dad."

There was a lot of rustling on the other line before his father's voice was booming through the speaker. "Liam, I didn't expect you to call." 

"Dad, I'm on the phone, you don't have to yell."

"Sorry, I just can't get used to this damn phone." His voice was quieter now and not demaging Liam's ears. "What did you want?"

"When are you guys arriving?" Liam started kicking a little stone on the pavement in front of him. "Niall and I already checked in, maybe we could have dinner together."

"We'll probably only get there around 10, I'm sorry but here's one traffic jam after the other."

"Oh." Liam rubbed his eyes with his thumb and sighed. "Guess I'll see you at breakfast then."

"Alright, see you tomorrow!" And the line went dead. 

Liam took a few more deep breaths before making his way back into the hotel, carefully looking around every corner to avoid seeing Louis. When he was younger, he always played with Louis and they acted like spies, but now he wasn't looking for a little bold man (Louis father), who they pretended to be a russian drug dealer that was planning on stealing the Queen's jewels, but actually trying to not cross ways with his former spy colleague. 

He knocked on the door and started talking as soon as Niall opened it. "You won't believe who I ran into. Or maybe you could because it's quite obvious that he's here, but still. So I was just walking outside, when suddenly someone yelled my name beh--" Liam stopped in the middle of the sentence. There was someone else sitting on the chair in their room, someone he didn't recognise. It was a man around his own age, but the stubble around his face made him look older. He had really dark brown hair, looking almost black, which was styled into a mess. His eyes were a light brown and sparkling from the sun shining through the big windows. His cheekbones and jawline looked sharp and made him seem a bit dangerous. He was definitely attractive. Liam shuddered. "Uh, well, hey..?" Liam gave a little awkward wave in the direction of the stranger, who smiled big at Liam (even if it looked like he was amused by Liam's awkward rambling). 

"Hi, I'm Zayn," he announced with a little nod and a smirk. 

"Alright." Liam sat down and let the silence overcome them. When nobody said anything for a minute, he looked around puzzled, only to find Niall shaking his head and Zayn looking at him expectant with a grin on his thin lips. "What?  _Oh_. Uh, I'm Liam, by the way."

"Eh, Zayn here wanted to greet us," Niall said and made a motion with his hand to Zayn, "you know, because he has the room next to us and doesn't know anyone else."

"Really, how do you know Harry and Louis then?"

"Oh, I-- I--"

"He went to Harry's old school, before he moved into your house. And they got back in touch when... you were in college." Niall explained. Zayn was nodding wildly along with everything he said.

"That's weird, Harry never mentioned you."

Niall sighed loudly and threw his hands in the air. "Or maybe you just  _forgot_. God, Liam, stop questioning everything. What are you, a secret agent?"

"Okay..." Liam let the word stretch out into an awkward silence. Niall was using his hands as fans and looking red in the face. "You alright, Ni?"

"Is it getting hot in here or is that just me? I think it's hot, we should go to the pool." 

Liam scrunched his face up. "Are you sure? We just arrived."

"Yes, I'm sure." Niall went over to his suitcase and began rummaging through it. "Li, get your swimming trunks." 

Liam rolled his eyes but began looking for them anyway. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Zayn standing up and going towards the door. "I'll be right back," he said before the door shut behind him. 

After Liam found a towel and his swimming trunks, he straightened himself and saw Niall grinning at him like a maniac. "What?"

Niall wiggled his eyebrows. "What do you think of him?"

"Of Zayn?"

"Of course, who else would I be talking about?" Niall rolled his eyes dramatically. "He's right fit, isn't he?"

Liam shrugged his shoulders carelessly. "I don't know, really." He went to the bathroom and put some of his stuff into the little cabinet next to the mirror while calling out. "He's not ugly, but, just." And he left it at that.

"But what?," Niall questioned. His figure appeared in the doorway and he crossed his arms over his chest. He had already changed into a tank top and his trunks. "I think he's interested in you."

"In me?" Liam let out laugh. "We didn't even have a real coversation. Besides--"

"But maybe you have one of those creepy, life-changing soulmate connections."

"-- besides," Liam began again. " _I'm_ not interested." After a moment of thought, Liam looked at his feet and mumbled. "Plus, I already met my soulmate." Liam cleared his throat and put on a forced smile. "Now get out and let me get changed."

After Liam changed, the both of them waited for Zayn to return before going to the indoor swimming pool together. The prominent scent of chlorine invaded Liam's nose and for a short moment, all his senses cleared and he could just stop thinking for a moment. After Louis had left him, Liam had spend a lot of time swimming, or in water in general. It gave him a save feeling, especially when he had his eyes closed and was floating on the surface. It made him feel like all the weight of his problems, of his life, have been lifted off of his shoulders. He felt light.

For a moment he could enjoy it, forgetting why he was at the hotel in the first place, until it happened. Someone came up, breaking the water, making little waves appear around them. The person put their hands on the edge of the pool and they lifted themselves up, the muscles in their chest and arms bulging. Liam's mouth dropped open. The man had his trunks dangerously low on his hips, the trail of dark hair from his navel leading to his waistband visible even from their distance. He grabbed the towel that was over one of the pool chairs and rubbed his hair, walking into the direction of the door when he noticed the three men still standing there. 

Liam's mouth was still slightly ajar and his eyes wide, staring at Louis like he was the gate to paradise. Niall nudged him and he closed his mouth, gulping and looking at his feet. He did that an afwul lot today already. 

"Hey guys," Louis said and walked over. "What are you doing?"

Liam felt Louis' eyes on him, but he didn't dare to look up. Louis still looked  _so good_. It was like no time had passed. He could still remember the last time he had seen Louis like that, half naked and wet--

"Just going for a swim." Niall's voice cut through Liam's thoughts like a knife through crisp bread, leaving everything a bit dusty and blurred. "Are you on your way out already?"

Louis nodded and finally Liam didn't feel his eyes on him anymore. "I just wanted to swim a few laps." Liam finally looked up. "Harry-" Liam huffed annoyed, but nobody seemed to hear him. "- wanted me to relax a bit. He says-" Louis rolled his eyes fondly and used his pointer- and middlefinger to quote. "- 'I've been too stressed'." His eyes twinkled and the endearing, private smile on his face only grew when he added, "I can't help it, I just want everything to be perfect."

"That's awesome, mate," Niall said and they started walking towards the poolchairs slowly. "Do you want to stay a bit and join us?" Liam's mouth dropped open once again and he knocked his elbow subtly into Niall's side. "We'd all really like that."

Louis gave them a big toothy smile. "Of course!" 

When they reached the chairs, Liam grabbed Niall's elbow and pulled him a bit to the side, hissing, "What are you doing?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Liam huffed. "You know perfectly well what I mean." He crossed his arms over his chest. "I wanted to get over him, not see him half naked."

"Liam." Niall stroked Liam's arm softly. "I think this could help you."

Liam pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't think this will help me in any way, but whatever, you already invited him." The smile he got from Niall after that made him feel a bit better and he sighed, giving a small smile of his own.

Suddenly, Liam felt an arm over his shoulder and when he turned his head, Zayn's face was only inches away and he had a big grin on his face while looking directly at Liam. "What's going on, lads? I thought we wanted to swim!"

"Yeah, we just wanted to discuss something about our room," Niall lied and gave Liam and Zayn a little shove towards the pool. "You two can go in already, I wanted to talk to Louis real quick." And with that he left. 

Liam shrugged and Zayn let his arm drop to his side so Liam could take of his shirt. Once they reached the pool, Liam dived in and swam underwater, his eyes slowly getting used to the familiar sting of the chlorine. Only when his lungs were screaming at him to get back up for fresh air, did he swim towards the surface again. With an open mouth he tried to get as much air into him as possible. But he was used to it, to testing his body like that every time he was swimming. It was like a challenge for him. And he liked the burn of his lungs, it made him forget about all the other pain he had been through. 

He shook his head and little drops of water fell into the water around him. To get all the water away from his face, he lifted his hands and ran them over it multiple times. When he looked around, he noticed Louis and Niall still talking, seriously, more like arguing, considering Niall was waving with his arms and looked rather furious while Louis looked like he was defending himself. Oh, the joys of knowing a person so well you know exactly what they're like and what they do. But, oh. Wrong, Liam thought, you  _don't_. Or else yo would've known Louis would leave you before he did and you could have done something about it.

Liam sighed and continued to look around the indoor swimming pool. Zayn was the only other person who was in there with them. He was just sitting on the edge of the deep side of the pool, kicking his legs a bit. Liam wondered why Zayn had agreed to come down here when he wasn't going to get into the water, so he swam over and folded his arms on right next to Zayn's thighs. "What's up, mate? I thought we wanted to swim?"

Zayn stopped kicking his legs and just looked down into the deep water. The fear in his eyes was definitely noticeable. "Oh," Liam said. "It's like that."

"Yeah." Zayn scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "This is absolutely embarrassing."

"No." Liam shoock his head and put his hand on Zayn's thigh. The other man looked at the hand of his thigh before moving his eyes a bit up and meeting Liam's, grinning softly and placing his own palm over Liam's. Liam didn't know why he did that, but he also didn't mind the contact. "It's not embarrassing." He turned around to make sure Niall was still occupied with his conversation, which he was, before he beckoned for Zayn to come closer. When Zayn's head was low enough, Liam whispered into his ear: "Niall didn't know how to swim until, like, 10 months ago. And then I thaught him." 

They parted and Zayn smiled softly at Liam, who returned it, even if a bit confused. 

After a moment of silence, Zayn opened his mouth, but then closed it again. 

"What is it?," Liam, who was still just floating next to Zayn, said. 

"Uh, eh, nothing," Zayn stammered out and scratched his neck again. 

Liam gave him a big smile. His eyes were probably only two slits and the coners were wrinkled, he was sure of it. But this was his best technique to get people to tell him things. "C'mon, you can talk to me."

"Um, okay." The darker man took a deep breath with closed eyes and rushed out. "It'snotonlythatIcan'tswimI'malsolikereallyafraidofwater." Then he opened one of his eyes and looked testing at Liam, a grimace on his features. When Liam, who always talked fast but not like  _that_ , only looked at him with his a bit open and an eyebrow lifted, Zayn sighed and repeated, this time slower, "I said that it's not only that I can't swim, but I'm also really really afraid of water."

"Oh." The smile was still in place on Liam's lips. "That's alright, too. But, if you don't mind me asking, why did you even come then?"

"Well," there was a crooked grin on Zayn again, and even a little twinkle in his eye, when he put his hand on Liam's arm and just caressed it with rough fingertips (just the way Liam liked, but he wasn't going to say that to someone who was practically a stranger). "I thought  _you_  were pretty cool and I wanted to spend some time with  _you_." And now Liam was confused. He was pretty sure Zayn had meant only  _him_  and not  _him and Niall_ , because he just said it so... weirdly. But that coundn't be true. Zayn was a, you just  _had_  to admit it, attractive stranger. Why should someone like him, who could, without a doubt, pull  _anyone_  from the guests at this wedding, be interested in Liam, who was very noticeable still hung up on his ex-finacè? Was the universe playing tricks on him again?

A few moments passed and Liam still hadn't said anything, while Zayn never stopped stroking his arm, and, wow, okay, now even his  _shoulder_ , and grinning at Liam like he wanted to...  _lick him_? Alright, so maybe Liam wasn't very good with interpreting what other people wanted or what they were like or just what they meant when they were looking at someone. But he was sure this wasn't a normal look, and the petting on his arm and shoulder weren't normal either.

So.  _What was he supposed to do?!_  Should he flirt? Proabably not, he would only make himself look ridiculous, he was too bad at it. Actually, no, he wasn't even  _bad_  at it, he had never even  _done_  it. The only guy, person, really, he had ever had eyes for was Louis (not counting this hot guy he had wanked to the first time (and many other times)) and they had never  _flirted_. Or, at least not consciously, they probably did but that came naturally, because they had known each other forever and were comfortable and liked  _liked_  each other. 

And then there was also  _Louis_ , of course. The love of Liam's life. His soul-mate. His better half. Everything he always wanted. What if he realised he still loved Liam, came back, only to discover Liam was flirting witth someone else, then cry and run back where Harry was waiting with open arms, being there for him comforting him and the wedding would still take place? 

Okay, maybe that was a bit dramatic. And it would probably not happen, Liam knew this by now, he wasn't stupid. He knew when he had lost and everything was over, but part of him was still  _hoping_. Hoping for Louis. 

And he would take Louis back, no matter what, even after all this time. 

So, the last option was to just ignore it. Which would be rude, and Liam hated rude, so he just awkwardly said, "thanks, bro. You're cool, too, I guess." Which made him mentally cringe. Wow, was there someone on this planet who was smoother than him? Proabably not, he was the smoothest of smooth smooths.

Sheepish because of all the awkwardness that was just like leak out of every pore of his body, Liam turned arond to see where the other two were and why Niall wasn't saving him from this. But they weren't on the chairs anymore. Actually, they were nowhere in there and their towels were gone, too. 

"Hey, when did they leave?," Liam asked with knitted eyebrows and a pouty bottom lip. "Did you see them getting up and going?"

"No," Zayn said and chuckled, looking deeply into Liam's eyes. "I was too distracted by your beauty." Liam blushed and Zayn cupped his cheek, his voice becoming deeper and slower. "You have really nice eyes, did you know that?"

"Ah ha, ha, ha ha ha," Liam laughed awkwardly, trying to turn his head away to hide this goddamn blush. "Thanks?" It came out more as a question, but Liad had tried to make it sound confident, not so unsure, but he was just not used to getting compliments. 

"Just stating the obvious, love," Zayn said and...  _winked_? He was definitely flirting now! "But your arms, just-" He bit his lip and let his fingertips run over Liam's arm, making goosebumps appear on Liam's skin. "- wow."

"Uh, I really like your nose," Liam said. And regretted it already while the words were coming out of his stupid mouth. 

But Zayn didn't seem to be too fazed by it and only chuckled. "Thanks, but I think yours is just as nice, it's so cute."

"Yeah, well, no, not really," Liam said. "Uh, do you think we should leave?"

Zayn pouted. "Aw, I really enjoyed talking to you in here, you know, without your shirt and all w--"

"Alright," a loud voice iterrupted and they turned their head towards the source of it. Louis was standing there again, but this time he wasn't smiling, it was replaced by a frown and furrowed eyebrows. When both men were looking at him, Louis replaced the frown with a smile. A forced smile, Liam knew. "Don't you think you've been in there for long enough. We don't want you to look like raisins, now do we?"

Liam lifted himself out of the water and turned to Zayn, only to find him already looking. Zayn shrugged and grabbed Liam's wrist, pulling him towards their stuff on the chairs. They walked in front of Louis out of the swimming area, and Liam tried not to notice the glare Louis sent towards his wrist, where Zayn still had a hold of it.

But there's only so much a man can do.

~*~

After dinner that evening, which Liam and Niall had spent with Zayn in the little restaurant in the hotel, the two friends found themselves sitting on their big bed together and looking through the movies they could rent and would be send to their flat screen TV. 

"Hey Ni, I didn't want to ask you earlier when Zayn was stil there, but where did you run off to when  _you_  were the one who wanted to swim?," Liam asked. 

Niall shrugged. "Places to be, things to be done, mate." He turned his head and one corner of his mouth lifted into a sly grin. "How was it to spend some time alone with Mr. Attractive-and-totally-interested-in-you?"

Liam groaned and covered his face with his hands (to hide his blush, but Niall should never know this or Liam would never hear the end of it). "It was so embarrassing." He groaned again, long and loud. "He was  _complimented me_ , Niall!"

"Oh no!," Niall gasped, sarcasm in his voice. "How  _dare_  he!"

"No Niall, you don't understand!" Liam sat up cross-legged. "I didn't know what to do and basically told he had an awesome nose."

Niall scratched a bit at his chin. "Well, he does have a nice nose." To which Liam hit him with a pillow in the face, but Niall only laughed. "Alright, seriously, Li," his voice was actually serious and Liam slumped into himself a bit, preparing for sappy, honest and nice Niall. "I don't know what your problem is. It's pretty obvious Zayn likes you, thinks you're handsome and stuff, and, let's be honest, he is  _too_. So why don't you just enjoy this week. Yeah, see it as a holiday. A holiday with a hot guy in the next room who want to  _flirt_  with you."

"More like 'a holiday where my ex-fiancè is marrying my step-brother'," Liam corrected and huffed.

"Try to be positive, Li," Niall said. "It's a  _flirt_ , nobody said it had to become something serious."

"You know perfectly well that I  _don't do_  casual."

"Then don't have sex with him, for gods sakes." Niall laid his hand on Liam's thigh. And Liam had to admit, it didn't feel quite as nice or as right as when Zayn's hand had been there. "Just a bit of flirting. Hey, when do things like that happen? You spend a whole week in an expensive hotel  _for free_ , you get all the food you want  _for free_ , you even have room service, thi room service was told to read every single one of your wishes right off of your eyes, you even have a pool. And, to top it all, you meet a hot guy  _on the first day who_ /wants/  _to flirt and get to know you_. This is absolutely perfect. Seriously, when do things like that happen, mate? You're one lucky man."

Yeah, Liam thought and laid back against the fluffy pillows, when do things like that happen to people like me, who have never been that lucky?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, that was... short. And not very good.  
> I apologize for the length and the quality of this chapter and especially for the very long wait. But I had a lot of (good) reasons. I promise the next chapter won't take this long to be uploaded. 
> 
> Also, I changed the number of chapters because I decided to make a chapter for every day at the wedding + what happens after it. The next chapters will definitely be longer and with more and better content. And more Ziam, definitely more Ziam. Probably even a bit of Harry because I just noticed he didn't make an appearence in this chapter at all. Oops?
> 
> Maybe there will be smut in Chapter 3, but I'm not too sure about that yet. What do you think?
> 
> One more thing: I was thinking about uploading my stories to whatpadd, but I have literally zero connections on there and I feel like this is a website where you definitely need some to get someone to notice your stories. Opinions?
> 
> Alright, I feel like I'm talking to myself so I'll just leave it at that.
> 
> Other than that, please leave kudos and feedback xx


	3. Day 2 - Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so so so so so so sorry for the long wait. It won't happen again, promise! 
> 
> I hope there are still a few of you who are interested in this story

The next morning Liam woke up with one of those snores that you can still hear, even though you woke up. He opened his eyes and almost jumped out of bed. 

Niall was only a few inches in front of his face, also awake and with an eyebrow raised. 

"Oh my God, Niall!," Liam exclaimed and gripped his shirt where his heart was beating, freaking out rather, inside his ripcage.

"Oh Liam," Niall said. "It's definitely been to long since you had someone in bed with you, if you're freaking out like that."

Liam gave him an unimpressed glance and got out of bed, not in the mood for banter and Niall's goal to get him laid. He wasn't in the mood for anything, really. His mind was already telling him - screaming at him - what day it was. 

The day of the family dinner. 

The day he'd get pitied to no end. 

And pity was one of the things he didn't need at all. What he needed was Louis; Louis who would save him from family members who tried to pinch his cheeks, told him how big he'd gotten and made awkward conversations; Louis who would him drag him away from all of them and hide in a closet with him to make out, no matter how cliché that was. 

Both their familys knew about their relationship and they'd all give him apologetically looks and ask him what had happened, those two years ago. To top it all of, they had all gotten invitations to  _their_  wedding.

He was so not looking forward to this.

Liam sighed. 

"Why so crumpy?," Niall asked and sat up. 

"You know exactly why, Niall." Liam stands up from where he was crouching down in front of his suitcase to get his shampoo. "I'm gonna shower realy quick."

"Alright." Niall yawned. "I'll wait here, then we can go downstairs to eat breakfast."

Liam nodded and walked into the adjoined bathroom to get ready for the day. 

 

Liam turned the water off and wrapped one of the fluffy towles from the hotel around his waist. He stepped out of the shower and drew a smiley face onto the steamed up mirror before applying deodorant and brushing his teeth. 

His brain was still working in over-drive. Without any mercy it was reminding him of what laid ahead of him, what he had to go through. 

What was he supposed to do if someone asked him about his love life, whether he had a new partner or not. He was the worst liar in history of liars! He couldn't just make up a story about meetin someone and why he didn't bring them. Every time he was lying, his hands got all sweaty, he started rambling and stuttering and he scratched either his neck or arms. 

He wasn't made for lying. Lying and flirting, both really. 

Liam opened the door and was just about to ask Niall what he thought Liam should do, but he stopped in the middle of doing it and just stared at the bed with is mouth open. Niall wasn't on their bed. 

Instead of Niall, Zayn was lying there, on his side with his hand holding his head and a smirk on his lips. "Hey."

Liam stood still for a few seconds before his brain made a short circuit and he slammed the door closed again. And, okay --  _what_? Why did his body decide to do that? 

Sheepishly he opened the door again, this time slower and with his heart beating a mile the minute. He was such an idiot. Who in their right mind would do that? There was absolutely no reason to slam the door closed. 

When the door was fully opened again, Liam saw that Zayn was still in the same position as before, and still wore the same smirk. "Alright, Leeyum?"

"Um, yeah, haha," Liam said and scratched his neck awkwardly. "Not to sound rude, but what are you doing here?"

Zayn's eyes glided over Liam's body and only then did he remember in what dressed state he was in. Or rather, what  _un_ dressed state. There was only a towel covering his lower half. And it wasn't the biggest towel to ever exist. 

Zayn was still smirking when he replied. "Well, I'm just enjoying the sight, really."

Liam gulped and walked with little, awkward side-way steps towards his suitcase. He tried to find a decent outfit as fast as possible, because he was able to feel Zayn's eyes on his bend-over body. God, why were his hands shaking so much? 

"Um, do you mind?," Liam asked Zayn when he had his clothes in his hands and wanted to slip into his boxers. Obviously he could also go into the bathroom again, but he didn't want Zayn's eyes following him. 

With a pout-y smirk, seriously, how was that even possible?, Zayn turned away. "What a shame. I certainly wouln't have minded to keep looking."

Suddenly Liam felt confident, and a bit daring, and maybe he just wanted to actually follow Niall's advice, so he said: "Maybe another time." 

That clearly caught Zayn off-guard, because he didn't say anything to that, only nodded his head a bit. 

After Liam was dressed, he sat down on his side of the bed, with Zayn turning onto around so he was facing Liam again, and put on his watch, that had been lying on the bedside table. 

"Where's Niall?," Liam asked. 

He startled when there was a hand on his thigh suddenly, rather far up. "Went downstairs to grab some breakfast." Liam's eyes traveled from the hand up Zayn's (tattooed) arm, until he was looking into soft brown eyes. 

"Should we join him?"

"Well, to be honest," Zayn bit his lip and looked at Liam through his eye lashes, "I was thinking we could order room service and eat here, in bed, together."

Liam picked at the duvet with his fingers. "Uh, we can do that, I guess."

Zayn flashed him a big smile when he said that and reached for the hotel-phone on Liam's bedside table, coming dangerously close to Liam because of that. He dialed the number and then ordered a great part of the menu, all while holding eye contact with Liam and smirking.

"So Liam," Zayn said after he hung up. "Why don't you get comfortable?" He opened his arms in a 'come here'-gesture and Liam slip up the bed until he was lying next to Zayn with his back against the headboard. "Can I ask you some questions?"

Liam shrugged. "Sure."

"What do you do for a living?"

"I work for a graphic design company with Niall," Liam answered. "He's the one who's making the first, like, sketches and stuff and I'm maybe a bit of a secrectery? I take phone calls and sort out e-mails and answer a few and schedule meetings."

When Liam looks at Zayn, he's met with raised eyebrows and an impressed expression. "So you're like a sexy secretery? That's hot."

Liam can literally feel his face and neck heating up with a blush. "Not really, I'm more of an average secretery, without the sexy. Defnitely without the sexy."

"I don't think there's anything you can do without being sexy." Zayn send him a wink and Liam's face flushed again. 

Desperately trying to change the subject, Liam said. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, you know, nothing world changing." Zayn gave him a smile, but Liam clearly saw how he didn't answer the question and immediately went onto a new subject. "How do you stand to the grooms? You're Harry's brother, right?"

" _Step_ -brother," Liam corrected. After taking in a deep breath, he continued. "Um, Louis i-- was my best mate, also. Or, we were engaged once."

"You guys were engaged?," Zayn asked and Liam nodded. "Hm, and what happened, if you don't mind me asking."

Liam didn't know what to do. On one hand, he kind of felt like he could trust Zayn and tell him aout what had happened, and it would probably be nice to talk about this with someone else than Niall for once. But on the other hand it was too private and he didn't know Zayn _at all_ and then there would be yet another person to pity him. Even though Zayn didn't appear to be someone who would pity you, rather someone who tries to make you feel better. 

In the end, Liam didn't have to decide whether to answer or not because in that moment there was a knock at the door, signaling the arrival of their food. Liam got up and opened the door. He thanked the room service guy and took the cart and rolled it into the room, next to the little table that stood next to the wall, with three chairs surrounding it. 

"Aw, I thought we'd eat in bed," Zayn said.

Liam turned towards him and raised an eyebrow. "But you're not the one who would have to sleep with crumbs in your bed."

Zayn waggled his eyebrows and Liam laughed, happy to see that Zayn wasn't his smirking, flirting self, which seemed kind of put on sometimes. "Maybe I will." 

Okay, so he  _was_  still flirting. But in a more natural and friendly way. It made Liam laugh and only a bit flush, but he had always been someone who blushed because of the smallest things. 

"You wish."

They held eye contact, even during the silence that followed, before Zayn whispered, "Maybe I do."

Liam gulped and turned back to the food and put plates and knifes and cups on the table.

~*~

After the both of them ate their breakfast Zayn suggested they go for a walk in the big garden. At first Liam hesitated, because what if he met Louis or Harry out there?

But in the end he agreed, he was in desperate need of some fresh air. 

Zayn came back into Liam and Niall's room after he had put on his shoes and grabbed his leather jacket ( _"Isn't it too warm for that?", Liam had asked, but Zayn had only smiled and shook his head._ )

"We can look for Niall and ask if he wants to join us," Liam said while tying up his shoe laces. "I can't believe he's still not back. What is he doing down there for so long?"

Zayn shrugged. "Dunno." After a short few seconds of silence he added. "But there's no need to search him, he doesn't want to join us."

At that, Liam squinted up at him. "How'd you know?"

"Um," this time the roles were reversed and Zayn was the one stuttering. Liam took a bit pride in that. "You know, he um, send me a text while I was in my room."

"Really?," Liam asked. "That's strange, why didn't he text me? And how does he even have your number?"

"We switched them yesterday." 

"Oh," Liam suddenly felt like a ton of bricks was crushing his heart at the thought that came to his mind. "He's probably with Lou. That's why he didn't text _me_."

Zayn nodded, looking apologetically. "I didn't want to tell you and ruin the mood."

"No." Liam huffed out a breath and got up. "It's alright. Whatever," he said even though it wasn't  _alright_ , it also wasn't  _whatever_.

Liam felt betrayed, and not only because Niall was with  _Louis_ (probabaly even Louis  _and Harry_ ) but because Niall didn't tell him. They were best friends, Liam thought they could talk to each other. Niall probably wanted to be nice, but in the end it hurt more than it helped. Niall had been the one to assure Liam that he wouldn't be alone and that someone would be at his side the whole time. Now it was a stranger instead of his best mate. 

But whatever, Liam wouldn't forbit him to talk to them. (Even though he would be happy to do just that.) 

Together, they left the room and went down the stairs. They walked through the foyer (fortunately not meeting Louis or Harry) and out, through the big double-glass doors and into the pleasant air. Outside were a lot of people walking around and making preparations for  _the big day_. Liam felt like puking. 

This time tomorrow, it would be happening. Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles will exchange rings and start their forever together. 

Liam quickly averted his eyes from the big crowd that was currently setting up the chairs and the carpet, with the marriage altar at the end, but then he looked back and his eyes widened in size and his mouth fell open. He stood stock still, as if he'd seen a ghost. 

Zayn kept walking a few steps before he noticed the lack of Liam next to him. He turned around with a raised eyebrow and when he saw the state Liam was in, he walked back and stood next to him. "Alright, Leeyum?"

"I-- I can't believe this," Liam whispered, not taking his eyes off the scene in front of him. "Am I dreaming?"

"What are you talking about?" Zayn followed Liam's line of sight but didn't see anything that could cause such a reaction. 

"This-- this is," Liam stuttered in a small voice, "this is _my_ wedding."

Zayn placed his hand gently on Liam's shoulder. "Leeyum?"

That gave Liam the final push and his shoulders hunched forward, his face showing the intense pain he felt and tears welling up in his eyes. His knees buckled but Zayn was by his side, slinging an arm around his waist and helping him stand. The next word left Liam's mouth so faintly, Zayn wouldn't have heard if it wasn't for the fact that he was pressed tightly against Liam. " _Why_."

"What?," Zayn asked softly.

" _My_ wedding was supposed to look  _exactly like that_!," Liam said, this time louder and Zayn flinched a bit, not expecting Liam's voice to be this loud all of a sudden. "My wedding was going to look exactly like that!"

Liam wasn't able to tear his eyes away from the scenery in front of him. It was like a car crash; tragic but you can't look anywhere else. 

And it was true; everything looked exactly like the wedding Liam and Louis (okay, mostly Liam) had planned. First of all, the hotel was from the same line as the one where theirs would've been, but not only that, the garden looked  _exactly_ like the one at the other hotel, with a lot of grass that stretched as far as you could see, with a lot of trees and a few hills and right in front of them, a lake, with a green-blue-ish colour and a little jetty. 

In front of the lake was the marriage altar being set up, just like it would've been at  _Liam_ _'s_ wedding. 

Even the chairs and carpet looked the same, the only difference was that the colour was different. Instead of the soft, beautiful blue Liam had choosen, it was in green. Liam couldn't find anything beautiful in this green. He thought his vomit would have a better colour.

But  _why_ did they do that?

It wasn't even like Louis had decided on all that for his and Liam's wedding. No, it had been mostly Liam's work. Back then, Liam thought it was because Louis was being a sweetheart and wanting Liam to have his dream wedding. When he thought about it now, it seemed more likely that Louis just didn't want to have anything to do with the wedding. 

His heart ached.

"Let's go back inside, yeah?," Zayn said, but it wasn't a question. 

Liam nodded and Zayn kept his arm around him while walking back into the lobby and to the lift. Just as the doors were about to close, someone yelled "wait, Li!" and put their leg between the closing doors. The lift opened again and Niall was standing in the entrance. 

Liam let out a sob and tumbled forward into Niall's open arms. "Woah, Li," Niall said but kept his grip on the older man tight and stepped into the space. "What happened?"

The only answer he got was another sob. Liam was now full on crying into Niall's neck, where his face was pressed against, shaking in his best friend's arms. 

When they reached their floor, Niall and Zayn supported Liam because he wouldn't've been able to reach the room without their help. Once inside, Liam pushed them away from him and stumbled to his bed, falling on it and rolling himself into a ball. 

"What happened to him, Zayn?," Liam heard Niall ask, but he ignored it. He pinched his eyes closed and bit his bottom lip, trying to stop crying. 

His head hurt from all the thinking and aggressive crying, bot most of all his heart hurt. Even after two years he was not one bit over Louis and couldn't live with the idea to not spend the rest of his life with him. 

It had always been like this, always been  _them_ ,  _together_. There was no Liam without Louis, not since he had been 4 years old and Louis had become his first friend. It was absurd to not think of them together, as an item. Even before they got together, they were never apart and just belonged together. Everybody knew that.

Niall and Zayn were talking in hushed voices. After a while the silent sound stopped and then the bed dipped. Liam thought Niall would crawl into bed with him, because that wasn't the firs time they cuddled, but he had to admit he was a bit shocked to feel the bed dip also at the bottom and when he opened his eyes, he saw Zayn laying there, very close and with his arm over Liam's legs, stroking Liam's ankle. 

It felt nice. 

~*~

The next thing Liam hears is a knock at the door. 

He openes is eyes and is confused for the next few seconds. For one, he doesn't even remember falling asleep. Then there is also Zayn laying curled up around him, hugging Liam's legs. And why do his eyes feel so crusty?

But then everything comes back to him; seeing the wedding preparations that looked exactly like his was supposed to be like, having a break down and Zayn witnessing every minute of it, crying while Niall and Zayn got him safely to his room and lastly, laying in bed with Niall behind him and Zayn at his feet. 

The knocking on the door still didn't let up and Liam tried to get out of bed. Zayn woke up and blinked sleepily up at him. Liam had to admit, he was quite good looking, especially with his hair all over the place, his cheek all red from where it had rested on the crumpled bed sheets and his eyes sleepy. 

"What is this annoying sound?," Niall grumbled from behind Liam, which pulled him out of his thoughts. 

"Someone's at the door," Liam answered. "I'm getting it."

Now that both other men were awake, Liam tried to look graceful on his way out of bed. And he almost got it, but then his foot got stuck in the duvet and he fell, head first, to the carpeted ground with a shriek. 

"Liam!," Zayn yelled. In a few seconds, he had managed to get out (without falling) and was kneeling next to Liam, who was rubbing his head. "Oh God! Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." His head was hurting, but other than that he was alright, and he didn't want to worry the guys. Not after what had happened earlier, that was definitely enough. 

"For fuck's sake!," Niall exclaimed. "I'm coming!" With loud steps he marched to the door and opened it. "What?" After seeing who was at the door, his voice became quiet and more calm, nice even. "Oh, hey Harry. What's up?"

"What happened?," Harry asked in the soft drawl he always speaks with. "Did something happen to Liam?" He looked past Niall and saw Liam sitting on the ground with Zayn by his side.

"Oh, he fell down the bed," Niall said, as if it was the most common thing to exist. 

Harry only laughed. "Again? I thought it got better." Which, okay. Rude. He waved at the two men on the floor. "Hey lil' bro, hey Zayn."

Liam rolled his eyes and grumbled. "I'm older than you."

"Oh, come on in," Niall said and walked into the room with Harry, who had closed the door. Harry sat down on one of the chairs and Niall helped Liam up. 

"Liam, come and take a seat, please," Harry said and gestured to the chair. The way he talked made Liam feel like a kid who was in for a serious talk with their disappointed parents. 

Nonetheless, he pulled the chair out and sat down, looking expectantly at Harry. 

 _Harry, who was here to get married to Louis_ , his mind told him and all of a sudden Liam felt sick. His hands looked really interesting now. At least better than Harry's _green_ eyes, that would match the colour theme.  _Harry, who didn't even give you a heads-up before he invited you to said wedding. Harry, who is about to start the life you were supposed to have. Harry, who's got everything you want._

"How do you like it here so far?," Harry asked and Liam kept his head turned down, but let his eyes look up. Harry looked happy, and proud, and his eyes were sparkling, something they only did when he was truly content. "Isn't it just beautiful here? I swear, this location is better than I could've ever dreamed of!" 

"Yeah, it's beautiful," and because he couldn't manage to keep his mouth shut, Liam added snappily, "I would've picked almost the _same_ , if I were you."

Harry's eyebrows knitted together. "Everything alright, Liam?"

"He just fell on his head, Harry," Niall answered for him just as Liam opened his mouth. He send his best mate a glare, but the other just kept talking, even though he saw the way Liam was looking at him. "No need to worry. And he just woke up, you know how grumpy he gets."

"That's true." The smile was back on Harry's face. "You haven't changed, lil' bro."

"I'm still older than you," Liam rerepeated. "Why are you here, Harry?" He just couldn't help it, he was angry at Harry, for being with Louis, for getting married to Louis, for spening the rest of his life with Louis. 

"I wanted to ask you _verrrrrry_ important question." Harry even dragged out the  _r_ in very and was now giving Liam his puppy eyes. The puppy eyes he had copied from Liam years ago. They were good, but not as good as Liam's. "Will you be my best man?"

Liam's eyes got the size of the moon. "I-- you-- you want-- what?"

"I want you to be my best man," Harry said. "I know this comes quite suddenly, but I've got a sewer here and he already has a suit for you, it only needs a bit of fitting done. Please, Liam, please!"

Oh, so he thought Liam hesitated because it was on short notice and because he didn't have the appropriate suit? What was even wrong with everybody? Harry and Louis treated Liam as if they didn't realise that this week would be absolutely horror for him! As if that wouldn't feel like a knife was rapidly shoved into his heart, over and over and over again! As if this didn't make his body feel like someone was removing his big toe with a dull knife and without a narcosis. 

After Liam still didn't answer, Harry started begging again. "Please, Liam! It would be so nice! You're my brother-"  _half_ -brother, Liam's mind supplied, "- and you're an important part of my life. You're family." Well, family doesn't go and marries the love of your life, now do they? "I know I'm starting a new life with Boo-" okay,  _when_ did he start calling Louis that? Liam knows that Louis absolutely  _hated_ this nickname, and he had been the only one who was allowed to call him that. Hell, not even his own mother, who had been the one that thought of that name in the first place when Louis was still a little kid, wasn't allowed to say that to him without getting the cold shoulder for a week. This had always been a thing between the two of them, between Louis and Liam. But then again, almost everything used to be their  _thing_. "- but I want you to stay part of it." 

Liam thought for a bit. He knew he couldn't say 'no'. It was Harry. Even though they didn't see each other all that often (maybe once every month), they were still close and cared for the other. The only thing that was running through Liam's head was,  _when did they get together?_ There are two options: either they just got together and immediately decided to marry,  _or_ they had been together for longer now but Harry had never told him when they met up. 

It was probably the second one and Harry didn't want to upset Liam. That must be it, Harry wanted Liam to be happy. 

This made Liam decide. If Harry would keep his mouth shut about his relationship (and Liam knew how full of love Harry got and how much he always wanted to talk about the guys he was dating) only because he knew it would break Liam, then he could do this for Harry. 

So Liam answered: "Alright, I-- I'll do it."

"Thank you soo much, Liam!," Harry exclaimed and jumped from his chair into Liam's arms. He hugged him tight to his body. "This means so much to me Liam." They parted and Harry smiled happily at him, his eyes getting more  _fond_ when he started talking again. "I wish we'd have more time to talk, but I have to go and we can continue later, Liam." He rolled his eyes, also  _fondly_ , before continuing. "I have to go to Boo or else he'll go nuts, he's stressing out so much. It's unbelievable, he's not happy with anything being less than perfect." 

His long legs walked to the door and he turned around before getting out. "Bye! See you later, lil' bro." 

"I'm _older_ ," Liam said again, but Harry only grinned and closed the door behind himself. 

Then the room was silent until Niall decided to speak. "Okay, I didn't expect that."

"What?" It wasn't  _that_ strange for Harry to ask Liam to be his best man. They were hald-brothers, after all. 

"Well, that you said yes." Niall shrugged his shoulders. "But I guess that's just who you are, right?"

Liam didn't quite get what Niall meant by that, but he decided against questioning the Irish man. 

"I think," Zayn said and only then did Liam remember he was still in the room with them, "Liam showed how _nice_ and _strong_ he is by agreeing to be Harry's best man."

"Um, thanks." Liam looked at Zayn and when he got blinded by the smile on the man's face, he send a small one back, even though he didn't feel  _nice_ or  _strong_ because of what he did. It had just been the normal thing to do.

"Seriously, Harry can be happy to have you as his half-brother," Zayn said, the smile still on his lips and his tongue pressed against his teeth. "Everybody can be happy to have you in their lifes."

And suddenly Liam didn't feel one bit lonely and his stomach and heart got all warm and tingly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Laaaaame ending, I know, I'm sorry, I just wanted to finish this and update ugh
> 
> But anyway, I'm so so so so sorry! I can't believe it's been more than 9 months since I updated.  
> That definitely won't happen again!
> 
> I also changed the number of chapters (again) because I absolutely wanted to update at least something so I decided to put day into two chapters instead of one.
> 
> Okay, after a lot of thinking I decided to tell you, why it took so long.  
> At first I didn't write for like a week or two but then I did, and I had like 8k words written for this chapter, but only on ao3. So one day I decided to log in and save my work because I knew it would only be in my drafts for about 3 days. But when I logged in, everything was gone and I was so angry and sad and totally not in the mood to write again. I actually tried to re-write that part like 5 times but I was never happy with how it came out and just deleted it again.  
> There had been a lot about feelings (maybe too much?) on the first draft and I just couldn't get it right anymore which discouraged me.  
> Then I thought I was ready again to write but I had so much to do!  
> so, again, I'm really sorry about the wait but that's not going to happen again.
> 
> Well, anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter :)
> 
> Please leave kudos and feedback, tell me what I can do better, what you think is going to happen, if you think Liam is too extreme with his feelings (because if I had a friend like that I'd slap them), what you think of Larry or how you would act if your ex would date your (step-)sibling, whatever you want!  
> Also, what do you think of Liam's character? I tried to make it more obvious how awkward and kinda helpless he is because I think it's quiet fitting but didn't get through enough in the previous chapters.  
> Don't worry, the ziam will become more and more from chapter to chapter.
> 
> A special heyyyy to everybody who got the Panic! At The Disco reference!

**Author's Note:**

> please leave feedback, especially for the summery, and kudos  
> I started writing this almost a year ago and then after a week or two I just didn't continue with it but suddenly I got motivated again and wrote and wrote and watched football which made me absolutely happy (WE'RE FUCKING WORLD CHAMPIONS) and wrote even more.  
> The next chapters will be longer and not just short flashbacks the way it was in this chapter.  
> Also, what do you think of the title? I think it fits, especially if you know what happens in the next chapters, but I'm not too sure. I had a lot of ideas for the title, maybe I should change it?
> 
> I hope you don't feel like you wasted your time reading this xx


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